The Captain of the Pole-Star

by Arthur Conan Doyle, Seth (Illustrator)

A classic ghost story illustrated by acclaimed cartoonist, Seth.The Pole-Star's voyage comes to a halt after becoming trapped in the arctic ice, threatening the lives of its crew. Superstition soon takes hold as the frightened men claim to hear ghosts in the darkness, but it's the captain's increasingly strange behaviour that concerns the doctor most.

Genres: Short Stories

80 pages, Paperback

Published October 5, 2023

About the author

Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle was a Scottish writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for A Study in Scarlet, the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Holmes and Dr. Watson. The Sherlock Holmes stories are milestones in the field of crime fiction.

Doyle was a prolific writer. In addition to the Holmes stories, his works include fantasy and science fiction stories about Professor Challenger, and humorous stories about the Napoleonic soldier Brigadier Gerard, as well as plays, romances, poetry, non-fiction, and historical novels. One of Doyle's early short stories, "J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement" (1884), helped to popularise the mystery of the brigantine Mary Celeste, found drifting at sea with no crew member aboard.

Reviews

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A typically well-written story by Conan Doyle: This one concerns eerie happenings in the area of an icebound ship, as written in its logs by a skeptical doctor. If one knows Conan Doyle, a couple of ideas thrown into the story add further interest. The illustrations are evocative­—and chilly.

[Manon (mysterymanon) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect Arctic setting for a chilly Christmas read. Loved the ghostly elements, although they are more unnerving than spooky.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was given to me by my partner for Jólabókaflóðið. It is the Bibiloasis version designed to be read in the Christmas season. Before this, I've only ever read Sherlock Holmes, so I was surprised when I saw who the author was.

Plot summary:
The Polestar is trapped in the ice pack far from land. The crew is slowly running out of supplies and the captain is beginning to act mysterious.

This is a perfect length to read on a cold winter night.

[JA · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a chilly night

[Ivano Canteri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A small classic in the line of the "polar" thrill&suspense stories of the late XiX°. Surprisingly out of the narrative style of the Sherlocks' and the like. A little piece of solid literature.

[John Gilbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boat trip to the north Atlantic? I'll pass.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved it! An excellent ghost story! This is a must read!

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sehr cute. Will eine längere Version also Zeit nach Arktis Geschichten zu suchen